The hives in Cow Common

[Kaat Vander Straeten]

Hi everyone,

just sharing this FLIR image of some of the hives at Cow Common! What a cool technology to check in on bees when it's cold.

Kaat

[John Sallay]

Terrific picture!

It's amazing the see the differences among the hives -- the sizes of the winter clusters and where they are in the hives. Most of these hives appear to be in great shape to get through the winter, but the clusters in hives #3 and #5 are small and at the top, so that's not good. If they don't already have feeding frames on top (sugar blocks or fondant), the keeper of these particular hives might want to get over there to feed them, or else they probably won't make it through.

John

[William Petri]

Another Winter Tale of Woe…..

On Feb 4th, when we had a sunny day in the high 40’s, I checked on my two hives and was dismayed to find both totally dead.  The way they died left me no clear clue as to the cause.  They produced a lot of honey and had been treated with Formic in the late fall and there was abundant capped honey scattered throughout the hive to take them through the winter.   It’s the way they died that was a bit unusual.  No sign of decomposition of carcasses, no mold or fungus on the combs, few bees stuck head into cells, almost all the bees were in a relatively fresh pile on the bottom board as though they all died simultaneously and over a short time span very recently.   Photos attached.   Sudden waves of high temps followed by very cold temps causing condensation freezing and death from compromised integuments?    Any ideas very welcome.

I’m also interested to know how the Cow Common hives have done so far.  The FLIR imagines suggest at least 4 hives were very strong and should make it through   Have they so far?

I also note no insulation appears to have been put on the Cow Common hives.  Are they doing fine without it?   

Maybe I used too much insulation.  Even though I left a vent hole in the top super as well as the usual reduced entrance perhaps that wasn’t enough to vent moisture buildup this winter.

—Bill

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[William Petri]

[Mike Garvey]

If you have excessive moisture, you will find puddles of water on top of the frames.

You don't mention how many bees you found in the "…fresh pile.."  2 cups? 6 cups?

You might take a look at this for some guidance: https://nybeewellness.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/winter_deadout_key_2-24-14_final_draft-2.pdf

 

My philosophy on insulation (and there are many), is that the top of the hive needs to be the warmest interior surface so that any condensation you get will be on the side walls and not on the "ceiling" where it can fall on the bees.  I add 2" of foil backed rigid foam insulation underneath the top cover to accomplish this.  I don't wrap my hives but I do provide a robust wind break.

 

Mike

 

From: beel...@googlegroups.com [mailto:beel...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of William Petri
Sent: Sunday, February 24, 2019 16:21
To: BEElieve beekeepers
Cc: William H Petri
Subject: Re: Winter kill

 

Another Winter Tale of Woe…..

 

On Feb 4th, when we had a sunny day in the high 40’s, I checked on my two hives and was dismayed to find both totally dead.  The way they died left me no clear clue as to the cause.  They produced a lot of honey and had been treated with Formic in the late fall and there was abundant capped honey scattered throughout the hive to take them through the winter.   It’s the way they died that was a bit unusual  No sign of decomposition of carcasses, no mold or fungus on the combs, few bees stuck head into cells, almost all the bees were in a relatively fresh pile on the bottom board as though they all died simultaneously and over a short time span very recently.   Photos attached.   Sudden waves of high temps followed by very cold temps causing condensation freezing and death from compromised integuments?    Any ideas very welcome.

[Kaat Vander Straeten]

Sorry to hear that, Bill. 

I don't have any colonies in the Cow Common, they belong to others (all of whom are on the list, so they may reply to your question). Another FLIR pic would be great...

Weird weather sure isn't helping. My peach tree is budding :(

Kaat

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--
Kaat Vander Straeten, Ph.D.

"Look, Ma, no hands!"

Co-founder and Vice President of MassEnergize, a 501(c)3 | Certified Permaculture Designer (Sowing Solutions) | Graduate of E. Ingham's Life in the Soil classes (Environment Celebration) | Beekeeper, consultant, and founder of BEElieve Beekeepers | Home Funeral Educator and Advocate (Peaceful Passage At Home) | Scholar in Orphan Wisdom School | Co-founder of Transition Wayland (an MCAN Chapter) | Associate Member of the Wayland Energy and Climate Committee (an MCAN Chapter) | Member of the Wayland Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness core group.

[Robert Provost]

Bill,

Really sorry to hear the news. You may want to send a sample down to the lab in Beltsville if you’re so inclined. 

I have two hives at Cow Common. I checked on them yesterday to give them a little more feed. Both appear to be doing well- a good size cluster on the sugar bricks in each. Little concerned that the main cluster may be up into the top box already though I didn’t look too deeply. 

Fingers crossed. I use Bee Cozy’s for insulation and a quilt box on top. Has worked well for me. 

Bob

On Feb 24, 2019, at 5:08 PM, William Petri <pe...@bc.edu> wrote:

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[Amir Bayazitov]

Hi Bill,

 

I am sorry to hear too.

Those 4 hives from FLIR picture are still alive, although I insulated them somewhat in February.

The reason why I did it just now – I am following this guy from Ukraine, where the weather is colder, as you can see.

But he manages to keep his bees in one deep (although it’s dadant deep, little bit bigger than lang) with 5-7 frames, no insulation.

Plus, he opens them often and even manipulates.

In this video he compares his usual style with few experimental (although minimalistic) types of insulation – a plastic bag on the top, a foam plate on the top, a blanket, a baby blanket, etc. you can forward to 10 minut mark, if not interested to listen to his Russian introduction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lnlnO-f9S_I&index=20&list=PLUpT7F2uX8wFRzFdpj5V2pxP-oht94Pcs

In this video (around minute 22) he is merging a weak queenright hive with strong queenless hive.

It is January 12^th and temperature 24F.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=slbPxaFGA28&list=PLUpT7F2uX8wFRzFdpj5V2pxP-oht94Pcs&index=21

 

According to him, if there are enough honey in a hive it’s better not to have insulation until weather starts warming up.

That prevents bees from early brooding.

He also says that it doesn’t matter how much total honey in a hive. What matters is the honey on those streets where bees form cluster, because they do not move from one street to another. They call street a space between 2 frames.

They also do not move down, once they move up.

And usually they move from front wall to rear wall.

 

Maybe your bees run out of honey on streets where they clustered?

In this case you would see spots without honey on the top back side of few middle frames.

Just a guess.

 

Regards,

Amir

[William Petri]

Thanks Mike.  The Dead Out Diagnosis key you linked was very helpful.  Next winter I will pay careful attention to all the questions.   I can’t answer many of them this year.   From memory, there was about 6-8 cups of dead bees on the bottom board and there wasn’t much brood in the hive so perhaps “spring dwindling” or fall mis-management due to weak or non-existent queens was the cause.   

—Bill

[William Petri]

Thanks Kaat.

I’m serious thinking of a FLIR attachment for my iPhone for next year.

May your peaches survive the early budding.

—Bill 

[William Petri]

Thanks Amir—

I leet Google translate the Russian and it was very impressive to see the beekeeper ignore the warnings I was taught >>> “do not open hives when very cold”.   I may use some of his techniques, especially reducing hive size to concentrate bee streets.

—Bill